Im looking at buying a Benjamin gun, most likely a Marauder but the Akela is appealing also. People talk a lot about adjusting hammers and installing regulators and so on. What have you guys done to yours? If I did buy one what should be first on the list to change? What can I change to make it a better gun? I'm pretty good at working with my hands (as long as I have proper instructions) so im not worried about anything being too difficult.
Marauder modifications
- Thread starter RobertC
- Start date
The Akela is a great gun, can be picked up used at a bargain price. The only thing I did to mine was cut the hammer spring. It shoots CPHP 14.3 great. A fun gun. My benjamin marauder field and target. 177 I only cut down the stock a little at the fore end to help with the balance. Both are great guns with outstanding customer service and support. Shoot me a pm if you would like more info. I am going to let them go for a good price as I recently acquired a .177 Veteran .
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Robert,
There are tons of upgrades and modifications for the Marauder, and many of them are effective and useful, depending upon what you are looking for. It's a very easy platform to modify and work on, without having special tools.
As far as the Akela is concerned, it's only been around for a couple of years, and parts and modifications are limited.
I have videos on my YouTube channel, Field Target Tech on how to disassemble a Marauder, and another on rebuilding it. Also, have a video on a regulator install alone.
Any questions, don't hesitate.
Tom Holland
Field Target Tech
Fieldtargettech.com
There are tons of upgrades and modifications for the Marauder, and many of them are effective and useful, depending upon what you are looking for. It's a very easy platform to modify and work on, without having special tools.
As far as the Akela is concerned, it's only been around for a couple of years, and parts and modifications are limited.
I have videos on my YouTube channel, Field Target Tech on how to disassemble a Marauder, and another on rebuilding it. Also, have a video on a regulator install alone.
Any questions, don't hesitate.
Tom Holland
Field Target Tech
Fieldtargettech.com
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RobertC - Sounds you want to buy a air rifle and then modify it. If that is the case I would ask WHY?
In my opinion if you want to do the mods to learn about how airguns work, then the Marauder is an EXCELLENT CHOICE. They are reasonable in price and many different parts are readily available along with instructions on how to install them. If budget is a concern this approach will allow you to spread the expenditures out over time.
If you want to make it shoot, look and feel like, say a $1,500 air rifle you will probably wind up spending $1,500 on parts and mods. If you do it right you should wind up with a great shooting/looking air gun but value wise it will probably not be worth as much as if you got a $1500 one in the first place.
I got a .177 Marauder a few years ago as my first PCP and actually I think it is great shooting/looking as it is. It shot great right out of the box and was all I ever hoped for and I learned a lot from it. Except for a little oil/grease, locktite and some "O" rings I have spent nothing on it and it still shoots great.
Once I learned a LITTLE about these things and wanted a BETTER? one I joined this forum, did a lot more research and got a .22 Brocock Bantam HR HP, and it also shoots great.
In my opinion if you want to do the mods to learn about how airguns work, then the Marauder is an EXCELLENT CHOICE. They are reasonable in price and many different parts are readily available along with instructions on how to install them. If budget is a concern this approach will allow you to spread the expenditures out over time.
If you want to make it shoot, look and feel like, say a $1,500 air rifle you will probably wind up spending $1,500 on parts and mods. If you do it right you should wind up with a great shooting/looking air gun but value wise it will probably not be worth as much as if you got a $1500 one in the first place.
I got a .177 Marauder a few years ago as my first PCP and actually I think it is great shooting/looking as it is. It shot great right out of the box and was all I ever hoped for and I learned a lot from it. Except for a little oil/grease, locktite and some "O" rings I have spent nothing on it and it still shoots great.
Once I learned a LITTLE about these things and wanted a BETTER? one I joined this forum, did a lot more research and got a .22 Brocock Bantam HR HP, and it also shoots great.
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The Marauder is a Great foundation to start with for a Mod-Build. Shoot44 has a point, if you're going blind and have no direction; you WILL spend a ton of money that could have gone towards the rifle of your true desire. BUT, if you have a mechanical background and enjoy the work, then have at it. I have several Marauders that I've built and custom tuned; they all perform as well or better that the HIGH end rigs. At a much LOWER price, I have right at 800 bucks total investment in each build; from start to finish (minus glass). I enjoy the challenge and Love the end results. To each their own. BE careful, the rabbit hole is DEEP!
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Ive been looking into getting an Airgun Revisions .25 marauder. The guy putting these together seems to be the best and for $499 I don't think I could even come close to what he does to these.
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Robert,
Rich Dudek of Airgun Revisions is THE Crosman/Benjamin guy. If you go with something that he tunes/tests/modifies, you can't go wrong. He also does factory warranty work, and he has his own warranty on guns he has modified.
Tom Holland
Field Target Tech
Fieldtargettech.com
Rich Dudek of Airgun Revisions is THE Crosman/Benjamin guy. If you go with something that he tunes/tests/modifies, you can't go wrong. He also does factory warranty work, and he has his own warranty on guns he has modified.
Tom Holland
Field Target Tech
Fieldtargettech.com
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I have a Cayden and is the most accurate, smoothest shooting gun I have. Very well made, only downside is the
weight.
weight.
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Rich D is the man! I have a bunch of marauder/armadas that I have modded. It is a spendy deal. If you can get one from Rich that would probably save you a ton of money, time and pellets.
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Just my worthless opinion, but the first thing I would do is buy a lot of pellets of different types and shoot the snot out of it.
you might find you are happy with it as is, or maybe figure out exactly what you want to change or improve.
Again, just my opinion, but a person could blow a whole lot of money for no reason by changing things just for the sake of changing them.
you might find you are happy with it as is, or maybe figure out exactly what you want to change or improve.
Again, just my opinion, but a person could blow a whole lot of money for no reason by changing things just for the sake of changing them.
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About 5 years ago I bought a .25 Synrod.
Other than a camo paint job, the only mod I have done is to add a TSS from Jefferson State Air Rifles.
This gun has been so crazy accurate out of the box it just blows my mind.
The trigger is so good on it, and I haven't done anything to it.
It has a inexpensive Athlon Talos 4-14x40mm scope. Nothing fancy.
With JSB Hades it shoots dime size groups at 50 yards all the time. That's shooting a little over 800 fps, around 40 ft lbs.
I have thought about modding it with a new valve and other stuff, but honestly I can't bring myself to do it.
What more could I ask out of it really? It's perfect just the way it is.
Really quiet. Accurate. Plenty of power.
Yea. It's not the latest, greatest, most sexy rifle on the market, but it just gets the job done. It has been stone reliable from day one.
Other than a camo paint job, the only mod I have done is to add a TSS from Jefferson State Air Rifles.
This gun has been so crazy accurate out of the box it just blows my mind.
The trigger is so good on it, and I haven't done anything to it.
It has a inexpensive Athlon Talos 4-14x40mm scope. Nothing fancy.
With JSB Hades it shoots dime size groups at 50 yards all the time. That's shooting a little over 800 fps, around 40 ft lbs.
I have thought about modding it with a new valve and other stuff, but honestly I can't bring myself to do it.
What more could I ask out of it really? It's perfect just the way it is.
Really quiet. Accurate. Plenty of power.
Yea. It's not the latest, greatest, most sexy rifle on the market, but it just gets the job done. It has been stone reliable from day one.
RA-ARA-045-2022 Marauder/Armada Twin Spring System (TSS) Gen
www.jsairrifles.com
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If you like the looks, feel and personal purpose of a bullpup, the Akela is a great choice. 1/3 the cost of an FX Wildcat 3. I have done nothing internally to my .177 Akela (though I did buy a Huma Air regulator for it, which I will install one of these days, following the youtube video of Sub12 Airgunners. Buck Rail has a couple of accessories I added. I also bought his moderator, but the threads do not work. He replaced the first one, but the second is still bad. My rifle is very accurate and trouble-free. I consider it a field hunter/pester and have fitted a PARD DS35 thermal imaging scope on it. Fits the Benjamin case like a glove.
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I should have mentioned my P-Rod is the perfect backyard friendly Starling/Grackel eliminator in .22 . . . I have a soft spot in my heart for Benjamin air rifles. Dating back 60 years to my childhood. It is the first gun I grab when my songbird feeders are overrun with Starlings/Grackels, or the odd fox squirrel. Turning it into a carbine is a popular mod. I also bought a Huma Air regulator for it, but have not yet installed it. It is very accurate, and the light weight MTC S.W.A.T. scope is a great match. It also fits the Benjamin case. Buck Rail has several mods for it.
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I just picked a marauder up for my wife, wanting to install a regulator to make it more constant. Has anyone else installed a aftermarket stock?
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its a different tuning with a reg. you are now closing off a pocket of air called "plenum" that small pocket of air is at a lower pressure and works better with opening up the transfer port and barrel for better air flow , a lighter valve spring and a lighter hammer spring with a lighter hammer works best with a regulator , or you can buy a regulated gun that it has been done already , but yes a regulator will fit in and the gun will work , it just wont work the way you think it should. tim hill has great kits that work real well with out problems , the reg is sold at a few places , and my favorite hammer is from JSAR . JSAR also has a nice SSG set up , but a light tim hill spring in your stock mrod works well , Tim Hill has what you need if you want to do it and not have alot of problems !
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i would go with a tim hill kit , if you contact tim hill and tell him your regulating a mrod he can set you up a kit , i personally like the nylon hammer from JSAR , i feel it is smoother but tim hill aluminum hammer will work , but i would go with the JSAR hammer . youtube has lots of videos on working on the mrod , you should watch a few hrs to get familar with what you will be doing , its fun to do if your not in a big rush
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